1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, automobiles equipped with air conditioners are generally popular. An air conditioner supplies cold or warm air into a vehicle compartment through an air discharge port depending on the air temperature outside the vehicle, thus maintaining an appropriate air temperature within the compartment. A seat disposed in the compartment including a seating area and a back rest comprises a resilient cushioning member molded from urethane foam, for example, the surface of which is covered by a sheet member such as formed of synthetic leather or cloth. Since an air conditioner mounted on the vehicle is powered from an engine, it takes a length of time from the start of operation of the conditioner until a suitable temperature is reached within the compartment, depending on the capacity of the conditioner, a temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the vehicle, the dimension of the compartment, the number of occupying persons or the like. Accordingly if one gets in an automobile which is heated by solar radiation on a hot day in summer, discomfort may be experienced because of the heat accumulation to a high temperature of the seat itself which may be transferred to his body or which may cause a sweating of part of the body which comes into contact with the seat. To accommodate for this, it has been the practice in summer heretofore to place a cushion woven into a meshwork from natural material such as palm or flax on the seat to provide an air layer between the body and the seat which absorbs or releases moisture. Also known in the art is a concatenation of a multiplicity of heat absorbing spheres into a surface, which is placed on the seat. On the other hand, in winter, a warming cushion is laid on the seat to remove any discomfort that may result from bodily heat being lost by the cold seat. It is also known to provide a heater in the compartment in order to warm the seat or seats by the heat from the heater.
However, if such weaving or matting is placed on the seat, it takes a length of time until a suitable temperature is reached since the air conditioner has started to operate. The length of time increases for greater differences between the intended temperature and the outside air temperature because there is a limit on the capacity of the air conditioner. Thus, there remains a problem that one is forced to endure in the compartment while all windows are closed until the suitable temperature is reached. It is also noted in automobiles in which an air discharge port from an air conditioner is frequently located on a front seat, a temperature difference is caused between front and rear seats, presenting a problem that the temperature may be comfortable to a passenger sitting on one of these seats while it may be unsatisfactory or excessive to another passenger sitting on the other seat. In addition, it is possible as in summer that if the compartment air is cooled by the air conditioner to maintain a suitable temperature during the running of an automobile, the bodily heat is accumulated in the seat itself to cause a discomfort. Finally, there is a problem that it is difficult to choose a suitable temperature as the number of passengers increases because the sensation to hotness or coldness varies from person to person. If a heater is assembled into the seat, its use is limited to winter season. The provision of a heater for each seat causes a cost increase.